Former medical college principal RG Kar challenges CBI probe in Supreme Court | Latest news from India

Ghosh, who filed his petition on August 27, is scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court on September 6. However, before the hearing, he was arrested by the CBI in connection with the case on September 2. His arrest followed widespread public outrage over his handling of the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in hospital on August 9 – an incident that sparked nationwide protests and outrage across West Bengal.

In his petition, Ghosh argued that the Calcutta High Court transferred the probe to the CBI on August 23 without granting him a fair hearing, thereby violating the principles of natural justice. He alleged that the Supreme Court wrongly excluded him from the hearing as he was neither a necessary nor a proper party in the original petition. Ghosh contended that the court should have considered his side before transferring the probe as the outcome directly affected his rights.

Ghosh also challenged the Supreme Court's decision to link the alleged financial irregularities with the criminal investigations into rape and murder, both of which are being investigated by the CBI. He maintained that they were two separate cases and that the court had erred in assigning the financial investigation to the CBI just because the agency was already investigating the criminal case.

The Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is expected to hear Ghosh's petition on September 6. This court is also overseeing the ex officio proceedings in connection with the rape and murder of the doctor and is monitoring the related investigation.

On Monday, Ghosh was questioned by the CBI for the 15th consecutive time before being arrested at the agency's office in Kolkata's Nizam Palace. He is accused of cheating and violating the Prevention of Corruption Act. Along with Ghosh, three other people were arrested on similar charges.

Ghosh is accused of various crimes, including illegal use of dead bodies for research purposes, illicit sale of biomedical waste and several financial irregularities, such as awarding contracts without proper tendering.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a money laundering case against Ghosh based on the CBI's findings. In addition, the Kolkata Police has filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against him.

This is the first arrest by the CBI since it took over the investigation into the doctor's brutal murder; Ghosh's arrest, however, is in the financial irregularities case.

Sanjoy Roy, a volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested by the city police a day after the crime and handed over to the CBI on August 13.

The Calcutta High Court, in its August 23 order, transferred the corruption probe against Ghosh to the CBI while criticising the West Bengal government for setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter a year after the allegations came to light. The court was acting on the petition of Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of the medical college, who had sought an ED inquiry into Ghosh's alleged financial misconduct. Ali pointed out that the SIT was set up only after the doctor's tragic death.

The Supreme Court justified its decision by citing an “obvious connection” between the allegations against Ghosh and the crime scene, which required a unified investigation by a single authority.

“In view of the seriousness of the allegations, the court directs transfer of the investigation to the CBI. Splitting the investigation among multiple agencies could lead to inefficiencies, delays and possible misinterpretation of information, thereby undermining effective enforcement. Transferring the investigation to the CBI will ensure consistency,” the Supreme Court said in its order.